Structuring

                            STRUCTURE

4 methods of structuring your writing

                                      

Writing can be anything.  But it is generally structured with an introduction of what is going to be ventured into, a general body, with beginning, middle and end, and finally a sort of new status quo established having made the journey.

1 One way of structuring writing is use of counterpoint.  It is a meeting of two opposing viewpoints.  Often, like poetry, it can be an argument of the mind with the self. A dialectical argument structure is essentially a three-part structure.  It turns from thesis (one argumentative position) to antithesis (a counterpoint to the thesis) to a synthesis, which combines the two seemingly opposing views. 

2 Another way is beginning in something unresolved.  Writing can be a puzzled series of problems to solve involving mysteries, difficulties, calamities, dramatic events.  Writing can be something unresolved, revealed gradually, using flashbacks

3 Joseph Campbell sees the structure of a heroic tale as this:

The status quo

The call to adventure

Refusal of the call

Supernatural aid

Crossing of the first threshold

The belly of the whale

The Road of Trials

The meeting with the goddess

Woman as the temptress

Atonement with the father

Apotheosis

4 Here are some more traditional story types

Wishing tale

main character has or sees something precious

character wants something badly

character tries to get it

is prevented by some sort of difficulty

overcomes the difficulty

gets what they want

in end, was it worth it?

Warning tale

two main characters are warned not to do something

They set off

They get tempted

They do what they have been warned against

Something goes wrong and they are in deep trouble

one gets free and goes for help

The other waits desperately

THey are rescued and told off for breaking the warning

The Losing tale

character is given something

character goes off

character has a good time

character realises they have lost what they were given

character vainly searches for the lost item

character goes home to face the music

character finds the item in an unexpected place

The finding tale

character goes somewhere

character starts doing something

character finds something unusual, amazing important

Something goes wrong

It is the fault of the object they found

character has to put it back, return it to the owner

Tale of quest

character sets off on a journey

something small goes wrong

something worse happens

something even worse happen

character gets there in the end

Tale of defeating the monster

all is well

but a giant comes along

the giant wreaks havoc

Jack kills it

Meeting tale

two characters meet

they disagree

they go their separate ways

something happens to one of them

The other saves them

They agree

Tale of fear

A character is afraid of something

character gets teased about this

character sets off

what they fear happens

main character manages to get through it

all is ok main character has conquered their fear

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